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I would’ve really enjoyed Uncanny Avengers #17 much more had I not read Uncanny Avengers #16. Probably an instant Marvel classic, issue #16 will be remembered as the quintessential book of this Remender run, I believe, in days to come.

Issue #17? A fantastic issue, just not as fantastic as issue #16. It will take its place with the issue of Avengers following the Kree/Skrull War, the issue of FF following the Galactus Trilogy and that immortal follow-up in Howard the Duck after the Star Waugh arc, “What do you do, where do you go the day after you save the Universe?” (Brilliant Gerber!)

Oh, there is a lot of good here in #17. For once, instead of seemingly isolated from the Marvel Universe (something that, at least for this book, I approve of), other Avengers and superheroes were involved in the all-out action of a planet fighting for its life against the judgment of an awesome Celestial. (Watch that thumb, Thor!) Another was the simply fantastic use of both the Wasp -- who is blossoming as a woman, leader and character for the first time since Roger Stern left Avengers -- and the Grim Reaper, who seemed to have gotten the Horsemen short shaft until this issue.

Remender’s characters are ones who, like us, have lived through the events of the Marvel Universe, all of them, unified. This latest plot within a plot within a plot has brought them alive, and the writer has shown us how you can make our favorite Thunder God royal and godly and powerful and yet tragic, human and emotional at the same time. Simply a great rendition of this Lee/Kirby creation, all the more special because he is in part responsible for the current dilemma with his history with Jarnbjorn. This is Thor at his finest, and Remender at his finest.

I will welcome back Daniel Acuna to these pages because he helped establish its real mood after a lackluster effort by John Cassady. But despite what I wrote in days past about Steve McGiven and his tragic barely one-issue involvement with the new Guardians of the Galaxy mag (talk about lackluster, and those new uniforms …!) he has been batting it out of the park here in Uncanny Avengers, especially with portrayals of Exitar, Kang and the Apocalypse Twins. Simply cosmic, and that is the highest compliment we writers of CBN are allowed to bestow.

Definitely pick this issue up for some fantastic art and reading, but put that UA #16 in a poly-bag for the future.